A hexagonal wrench, also referred to as an allen wrench, comprises a tool bit having a hexagonal external contour. The tool bit is used, for example, to loosen and/or tighten a screw having a socket with an internal contour matching the tool bit's external contour. Since such screws and/or their sockets come in many different sizes, hexagonal wrenches are manufactured in many different sizes. Also, they are often sold in a set including a plurality of different sized hexagonal tool bits.
Many hexagonal wrench sets are designed to be stored in one location, such as a tool chest, so that they can be withdrawn and used for the tooling task presented. For example, a wrench set can include a plurality of different sized hexagonal wrenches that are unconnected but stored in a common container or box. Alternatively, a wrench set can include a plurality of different sized hexagonal tool bits arranged in a telescoping manner. These types of wrench sets work quite well in some situations, such as an industrial work station or a home work bench.
During day-to-day activities, tasks are sometimes encountered which require the use of a hexagonal wrench. While one alternative is to wait until returning home/work to perform the task, having the wrench available for immediate use is the more preferable option. Additionally or alternatively, tasks requiring the use of a hexagonal wrench often occur while traveling. With particular reference to outdoor travel activities such as camping, hiking, and biking, different sized hexagonal wrenches may be necessary to set-up camp and/or maintain equipment. While traveling with a bulky wrench set is one solution, this is probably not practical since most travelers (especially campers, hikers, and bikers) prefer to pack as light as possible.
The present invention pertains to a tool providing a plurality of different sized hexagonal tool bits. The tool is preferably constructed to be convenient to carry at almost all times, such as in a person's pocket or purse. Moreover, the tool according to the present invention may prove useful in other environments, such as an industrial work station or a home work bench, where space is not necessarily at a premium.
More particularly, the present invention provides a tool comprising an inner member and an outer sleeve member. The inner member defines a small tool bit having a polygonal (preferably hexagonal) external contour. The outer sleeve member includes a cavity that selectively receives the inner member. The inner member and the outer sleeve member together define, when the inner member is received within the cavity, a large tool bit. The large tool bit has a polygonal (preferably hexagonal) external contour of the same shape, but of a larger size, than the inner tool bit. In this manner, the small tool bit may be used when the inner member is withdrawn from the cavity and the large tool bit may be used when the inner member is received within the cavity.
In the preferred embodiment, the inner member includes a proximate supporting portion and a distal portion defining the small tool bit. The outer sleeve member includes a proximate supporting portion and a distal portion that, along with the distal portion of the inner member, defines the large tool bit. The supporting portions are pivotally connected together so that the inner member may be selectively pivoted for insertion into, and withdrawal from, the cavity of the outer sleeve member.
As was indicated above, the polygonal external contours of the tool bits are preferably hexagonal contours, and more particularly hexagonal contours each having six equally-sized sides. The distal portion of the outer sleeve member may completely form all but two sides of the polygonal external contour of the large tool bit. The inner tool bit may form the missing portions of the two sides. Consequently, the small and large tool bits will be non-concentrically arranged when the inner member is received in the cavity of the outer sleeve member.
The tool may further comprise a base to which the inner member and the outer sleeve member are connected, and more preferably pivotally connected. The base may include portions which cooperate to form an aperture selectively openable to receive a keyring. In this manner, the tool may be stored in a person's pocket or purse and then released from the keyring for use when a tooling task presents itself. The base may also includes portions which cooperate to prevent the aperture from accidently opening and unintentionally releasing the keyring.
In order to provide more hexagonal tool bits (preferably all of different sizes), further pairs of inner members and outer sleeve members may be connected to the base. Additionally or alternatively, another outer sleeve member may be provided that has a cavity for receiving the first outer sleeve member. In the latter modification, the inner member, the first outer sleeve member, and the second outer sleeve member would together define a larger tool bit when the inner member is received within the cavity of the first outer sleeve member and when the first outer sleeve member is received within the cavity of the second outer sleeve member. The larger tool bit would have a polygonal (preferably hexagonal) external contour of the same shape, but of a larger size, than the large tool bit.
The tool according to the present invention may be used to loosen and/or tighten screws having sockets of different sizes. Specifically, the inner member would be withdrawn from the cavity of the outer sleeve member to use the small tool bit to loosen/tighten a screw having a correspondingly sized socket. The inner member would then be returned to the cavity of the outer sleeve member so that the large tool bit could be used to loosen/tighten a screw having a correspondingly sized socket.